top of page
DSC03080.JPG

Top 10 in Ten

Here are the top 10 businesses in ten most-requested new categories. We are thrilled to highlight all 10 categories (and all 100 businesses!) below.

opened in 2024!

TOP 10 FAVORITE

SHRIMP BURGER

BIG OAK DRIVE-IN & BBQ

FB: Big Oak Drive-In & BBQ

BLACKBEARD'S GRILL

FB: Blackbeard's Grill

CAPTAIN'S KITCHEN

@captainskitchen_nc

CAPTAIN'S TABLE

@captains_tablemhc

EL'S DRIVE-IN

FB: El's Drive-In

FINZ GRILL

@finzgrill

SEA SIDE GALLEY

@seasidegalley

SHARK SHACK

@sharkshacknc

THE CRAB SHACK

FB: The Crab Shack in Salter Path, NC

THE SPOT GRILL

FB: The Spot Grill

TOP 10 FAVORITE

NEW BUSINESSES

BALLOON BABE

@balloonbabenc

BOATS 365

@boats365nc

CAROLINA WEDDING PARTNERS

@carolinaweddingpartners

FILET 'N' FIN

@filetnfin

HARMONY SURF SUPPLY

FB: Harmony Surf Shop

HILTON'S

@hiltons.atlanticbeach

MOREHEAD CITY AESTHETICS

@moreheadcityaesthetics

NOONTIDE COFFEE & KITCHEN

@noontide_coffee_kitchen

REED'S AT THE PORCH

@reedsattheporch

SLN COLLECTIVE

@thesaloncollective

TOP 10 FAVORITE

PLACES FOR LIVE MUSIC

34 NORTH BAR

@34northbar

ALIVE AT FIVE

@downtownmoreheadcity

BACKSTREET PUB

FB: The Backstreet Pub

BEAUFORT SPIRITS COMPANY

@beaufortspiritscompany

CAROLINA HOME & GARDEN

@carolinahomeandgardennc

FLOYD'S 1921

@floyds1921

GAFFER'S

@gaffersemeraldislenc

IDLE HOUR BIERGARTEN

@idlehourab

JACK'S WATERFRONT BAR

@jackswaterfrontbar_mhc

KING MACKERELS

@kingmackerelsmhc

TOP 10 FAVORITE

MARGARITAS

AMOS MOSQUITOS

@amosmosquitos

COSTA BONITAS

@costabonita_mexican

EL MEXICANO TACOS AND TEQUILA FB: El Mexicano Newport

FISH HUT GRILL

@fishhutgrill

GAFFER'S

@gaffersemeraldislenc

MEZCALITO

@mezcalitonc

MUG SHOT

@mug.shot.caffeine.cocktails

PLAZA MEXICO BAR & GRILL

FB: Plaza Mexico Morehead City

TOWER 7

@tower7morehead

YELLOWFIN PUB

@yellowfinpubmhc

DSC07915.jpg

TOP 10 FAVORITE

BOOK SHOPS

BEACH BOOK MART

@beachbookmart

BEAUFORT BOOKWORM

@beaufort_bookworm

BEAUFORT PUBLIC LIBRARY

1702 Live Oak Street

DEE GEE'S GIFTS & BOOKS

@deegeesnc

EMERALD ISLE BOOKSTORE

@emeraldislebooks

HOUND & HOP STORY SHOP

@houndandhopstoryshop

MOREHEAD CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY

@moreheadcitylibrary

NEWPORT PUBLIC LIBRARY

210 Howard Blvd.

THE BOOK SHOP

4915 Arendell Street

WESTERN CARTERET PUBLIC LIBRARY @fowcpl

TOP 10 FAVORITE

OUTDOOR MARKETS

CAROLINA HOME & GARDEN

@carolinahomeandgardennc

EDGEWATER GARDENS

FB: Edgewater Gardens

GARNER FARM

@garnerfarmsnc

MOREHEAD CITY CURB MARKET 

@moreheadcitycurbmarket

NEWPORT FLEA MALL

FB: Newport Flea Mall

OLDE BEAUFORT FARMERS' MARKET

@oldebeaufortfarmersmarket

THE FRIENDLY MARKET @friendlymarketnc

THE MARKET AT CEDAR POINT

@themarket1046

THE PERIWINKLE

@theperiwinklenc

WILLIS PRODUCE

FB: Willis Farm

TOP 10 FAVORITE 

PLACE TO PLAY BILLIARDS

BB'S FLASHBAX ARCADE

FB: BB's Amusements - Flashbax Arcade

CAROLINA HOME & GARDEN

@carolinahomeandgardennc

HANDLE BAR

FB: Handle Bar

KINK MACKERELS

@kingmackerelsmhc

MAC DADDY'S 

@mymacdaddys

NACHO BREWERY

@nacho_brewery

ROYAL JAMES CAFE 

FB: Royal James Cafe

SHIPWRECKS BAR & GRILL

FB: Shipwrecks Bar & Grill

THIRSTY SURFER

@thirstysurfer2025

TIMEOUT TAVERN

FB: TimeOut Tavern

Screenshot 2024-10-07 at 1.18.21 PM.png

TOP 10 FAVORITE

PLACES TO GET A SPRAY TAN

BEAUFORT BEAUTY BAR @beaufortbeautybar

BLESSED BODY DAY SPA @blessedbodydayspa

COCONUTZ

@coconutztanning

CRYSTAL COAST GLOW

@crystalcoastglow

NEW VISAGE

@newvisage

ON THE GLOW

@ontheglow252

SEA SPRAY TAN

@nseaspraytan

SURFSIDE AESTHETICS

@surfside.esthetics.skinclinic

SLN COLLECTIVE

@thesaloncollectivemhc

TIDELINES TANNING

@tidelines_tanning

TOP 10 FAVORITE

PLACES FOR HEALTHY EATS

BEACH BOWLS

@beachbowlsnc

FISH HUT GRILL

@fishhutgrill

MOXIE

@moxie_mhc

MUG SHOT

@mug.shot.caffeine.cocktails

NOONTIDE COFFEE & KITCHEN

@noontide_coffee_kitchen

PITA PLATE

@pitaplate.mhc

REFECTION

@refectionfoods

RISE & SHINE NUTRITION

@riseandshine_nutrition

SOL BOWLS

@sol_bowls_

THE FRIENDLY MARKET

@friendlymarketnc

TOP 10 FAVORITE

PLACES TO DIY CRAFT

BLUSAIL GOLITZ

@blusailgolitzstudios

CAROLINA HOME & GARDEN

@carolinahomeandgardennc

CRAVING ARTS STUDIO

@cravingartsstudio

ELEMENTS STUDIO

FB: Elements Studio MHC 2

HAMMER AND STAIN

@hammerandstain

SIPSPIRATION

@sipspirationbeaufort

SPINDRIFT STUDIOS

FB: Spindrift Studios

WEEKS FARM

@weeks.farm

WILD ROSE GLASS

@wildrose_stainedglass

WINE & DESIGN

@wndmoreheadcitync

EXPLORE EACH CATEGORY:

Flower Shadow_edited.jpg

TASTE

Flower Shadow_edited.jpg

SHOP

Flower Shadow_edited.jpg

EXPERIENCE

Screen Shot 2025-07-10 at 12.14.41 PM.png

GET YOUR FREE 2025 PEOPLE'S CHOICE GUIDE

Each year, we host a two-week long initiative where folks in the community get to vote for their favorite local small businesses in a variety of categories. THE BEST PART? Every business that receives a vote gets featured in our annual People’s Choice Guide — a digital and printed resource that locals and visitors can refer to throughout the year.

bottom of page